Automobile top



May 9, 1933.

A. J. PINTO 1,907,662

AUTOMOBILE TOP Filed Oct. 22, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY Me/VM May9, 1933.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY maa/M A. J. PINTO AUTOMOBILE TOP May 9, 1933.

Filed Oct. 22, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 0 O O O O O IINVENTOR W/M May 9,1932.. A. J, PINTO 1,907,662

AUTOMOBILE TGP Filed OCh. 22; 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR ATTORNEW mwrm May 9, 1933. I A. J, P|NTO 1,907,662

AUTOMOBILE TOP Filed Oct. 22. 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 'lr v INVENTOR BYATTORNEY A. J. PINTO AUTOMOBILE TOP May 9, 1933.

Filed Oct. 22, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 \||.llJ|L..|I||J u n n INVENTOR @nATToRN/W/ wrm Patented May 9, 1933 A UNITED STATES ANGELO J. PINTO, oFEosEBANK, NEW YTroni:

AUTOMOBILE TOP Application filed October 22, 1931.7 Serial No. 570,319.`

@ parts whether the same is in mounted position or in storage, withmeans for holding the same frigid to the vehicle-in which it is usedwhen mounted in position.

Another principal object is to enable the .15 entire top to be foldedand compactly stored in the Ivehicle by provision in the storage chamberof suitable tracks or guides designed to control the stored'poslition ofthe to i Inother principal object` is to provide a top having theaforesaid advantages which may be alternately secured in placeover thefront seat of a Vehicle or over both the front and rear seats thereof. f

25 Another principal object of the invention ,is to provide a top frameVwhich may .be readilyextended when itis desired to mount the-top, and`as readily collapsed .when it is desired to store thesame;

. Other objectsof the invention will be apparent from reading thisspecification in connection with the accompanying `drawings, in whichFigure l is a fractional, longitudinal, cross-sectional view of the bodyof a vehicle embodying my invention;

' Figure 2 shows the vehicle top in packe condition in the storagechamber provided therefor; v

Figure 3 is a fragmentary, longitudinal, cross-sectional view of avehicle showingthe track arrangement for the frame of the ,to i

IFigure 4 is a similar View showing the top .in place over the frontseat ofthe vehicle;

Figure 5 is a fractional elevation of a vehicle showing the top Iinplace over the front seat' -L Figure 6 shows one of the sidecurtainsAuse dgin my construction;

'The rear portion of this cover is simi- Figure 7 is a detail showingthe method of fastening the side curtains t`otheltopf; s

Figure,` 8],s a fractional, longitudinal, cross-sectional view of avehicle in which the top is shown covering the front and back seats ofthe vehicle;

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the same; j Figure 10 is a plan view -ofthe vehicle in which the` top is shown in position overthe front seat,part of the top havingv been broken awayf s Figure ll `is asimilarviewto. Figure `10 except that thetop extends over both lthe forward andrear seats ofthe vehicle;

Figure l2 shows the arrangement of the ,55 side curtains; n F igurelrepresents the coverV of the storage chamber for thetop; i 1

Figure 14 is; an` elevation -of'a top supporting rod;vand p Figurey l5is a cross-section .taken along the line 15-15 of Figure 14, looking inthe direction of the-arrows. y g Referring now in detail to the.drawings in which similar Ycharacters refer to similar parts throughout,16v represents .a vehicle havin doors 17 and y18 and a windshield 19.eats are shown at 20, 2l as well as the seatgrbacks 22 and` 23, all ofwhich are conventional withpresentmotor car construction. E l InFigure lthe vehicletop isshown stored in the storagec'hamber 24 where the'top isadapted to beV kept when vnot in use. Tracks 25v are provided in thestorage chamber 24 to permit the convenient :folding ,of the top instored condition. These tracks are a continuationv of the tracks 26 inwhich the supports for the top are adapted tofslide andbe locked inposition, as will be hereinafter described. t n 1 By reference to Figure4, it will be seen that the cover 29 of the vehicle top is in positionover the forward or drivers seat of the vehicle and doesnot extend overthe rear seat thereof. This .cover is fastened at its forward end to theyframe 31 of the windshieldpl9, by `buttons 32 or other convenientfastening,1as,shown in Figure 10.

37 to said bow 35 when the desired angular relationship between the twohas been determined.

The bow 36 is provided with` telescopic rods 42. These lrods are splinedwith the bow and' slide in the-recesses 43 in the legs ofthe bow., and.are adapted to be secured in adjusted position therein by the lockingscrew 44. The bow. 35 is. supported by brackets on the legs of the bow36, the said'zbow 35 being hinged to brackets at 46. In: Figure 8 thecover 29 isshown in position.l over the rear seat instead ofl over theforward seat only, as shown in lFigure 4, the only difference in themounting being that therear end of the top is fastened-behind the rearseat of the vehicle instead ofbehind the front seat of the vehicle, asjust described, and the forward end of said topv portion is secured tothel supplemental cover section 47 which in turn issecured tofthewindshield frame 31 in a similar. manner as has been shown withlreference to the positionof the top Ysection as shown in Figure 4.'

In the all-over construction shown in Figure 8, af bow 48 is provided tosupport the top as shown, the legs. of said bow vbeing adjustable in theslotted brackets 49 and set therein: by the thumb-screws 50. The rods420i? the bow 36 (Figure 1.4)v are provided with T-ends51 adapted toslide in the'chan- -nelled tracks 26and be retained therein by theflanges 53 of said tracks.

The operation of my invention is as ollows. "Whenl the top is not-inuse, it is stored in the chamber 24 which is provided for that purpose,the T-rods 42 of the bow 36 being held in the tracks 25 of the storagechamber 24, one of such tracks being located at each side of the storagechamber longitudinal with the car. p

vWhen. desired to put up the top, the same is withdrawn from the storagechamber 24, Y the T-rods 42 are moved along thel tracks 25 until theT-ends 51 rest in the recesses 541er 55. For the present, we will assumethat it is desired to erect the top so vas to cover the forward seat ofthe automobile only.v In this case the T-endsy 51 of the. rods 42 restin the recess 54. The rear cover 29'isrthen fastened behind thedriversseat 33-'and the forward end of this cover is fastened to the upperframe 31 of the windshield. The bow 36 is then extended on the rod 42 tohold the cover 29 in taut condition and the lock screw 44 is manipulatedto hold the rod 42 and bow 36 in integral condition. The bow 35 is thenswivelled upward as far as it will go and locked 1n position to the link37, such lockingv being done by manipulation of the winged nut 41, thelink 37 being clamped to the windshield 31. The frame of the top is thusheld in iirm condition as a unitary' structure.

Assuming now that it is desired to extend the top over both seats of thevehicle shown in the drawings, the top is withdrawn from the storagechamber 24 as alreadyv described and the T-ends 51 of therod 42 aremoved along the tracks 26 until they lodge in the recesses 55. The rearcover 29 is then fastened behind. the rear seat of the car and the bows35 and36. are secured in position in the same manner as alreadydescribed with reference, to the mounting ofthe top for the front seatonly. A supplemental vcover 47 is then secured at 57 in any convenientmanner to the front of the cover 29 just described, and the'forward endof this; supplemental cover is secured tothe windshield 31 in the samemanner. A vsupplemental bow 48 is provided to support the supplementalcover 47, said bowbeing held ini po- -sition by the slotted brackets 49in cooperation with the-lock screws 50. When not4 in use, the lockscrews 50 are loosened andthe bow .48 is allowed toslide down thebrackets 49, assuming a stored position in the storage chamber 24. v i

lVhen the top is in mountedy positionVside curtains 58, 59 and 60 arebuttoned or otherwise secured in place. The detail of this fastening isshown in Figure 7 where aflap 61 is shown on the cover 29 (or 47. whereit f is the supplemental cover), forming a pocket 62 in which the toprmarginal edges. of the side curtains (or 58 or 59) are'secured in suchmanner as t0 prevent rain from entering between the side curtainsandYthe top cover.

I have described what I believe to be-the best embodiment ofv myinvention. I do not wish to be limited, however, in patent' protectionto the embodiment shown andl described, but what I desire to cover byLeti ters Patent is setforth in the claims.

I claim:

1. A vehicle to-p comprised of a cover and a collapsible frame, incombination with a vehicle body having front and rear seats and astorage chambelr,'guides in said storage chamber, extending forwardlyand rearwardly therefrom means on the frame for connecting said frame inoperablerelationship with said guides and adapting said frame tobeVmoved in said guides to storage position in said storage chamber and tosupappended port the frame and cover in mounted position over the frontor rear seat as desired, and means for securing said frame in positionwhen mounted.

2. In combination, an automobile body having afront seat, a collapsiblerear seat, a stora e chamber disposed immediately behind sald frontseat, a pair of channel guides disposed in said chamber and extendingforwardly and rearwardly therefrom, and a vehicle top comprised of acover and a collapsible rame, said collapsible frame comprising a bowhaving its ends disposed in said channel guides' and movable therealongto support the frame and cover in mounted position over the front seator rear seat as def sired or to storage position in said storagechamber. y

In testimony whereof I have an'Xed my signature to this specification.

ANGELO J. PINTO.

